Munster Rugby set sights on Italian job after thrilling URC win over Connacht

MUNSTER Rugby will look to make it back-to-back wins in the United Rugby Championship when travelling to Italy next weekend to face Zebre Parma on Saturday, 3pm.

Last season's semi-finalists Munster scored an entertaining 35-33 bonus point victory over interprovincial rivals Connacht in front of an official attendance of 15.705 at Thomond Park on Saturday evening.

Munster scored five tries in all through Man of the Match Alex Nankivell, Mike Haley, John Hodnett, Gavin Coombes and Shane Daly. Young out-half Tony Butler landed the match-winning conversion of Daly's 70th minute try. Butler had replaced new signing Billy Burns who was forced off with a shoulder injury.

After the game, Munster captain for the night, Diarmuid Barron said he was proud of the players. Barron agreed that the side had plenty of elements of their play to work on ahead of next weekend's trip to the Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi to face Zebre Parma.

“It was an incredibly tough game. Fair play to Connacht I thought they absolutely brought their ‘A’ game to us. I am very proud because there are guys there who had massive performances who don't usually get the plaudits," Diarmuid Barron told RTE Sport.

“I thought the likes of Mike Haley and Fineen Wycherley were unreal 80 minutes performances and then our bench massively added to the game. I am over the moon with that to be honest.”

Barron was fulsome in his praise for young Ennis out-half Butler who had come off the bench and slotted the match-winning conversion with 10 minutes remaining in the derby

“Tony has been around the squad a bit of time now. He is incredibly diligent and I am absolutely over the moon for him to to be honest,” Diarmuid Barron said.

“I think at one stage there was a question whether he would go down the hurling route or the rugby route and I am delighted he chose the rugby route.

“There are a lot of works-ons ahead of round two next weekend, I'm sure, both personally and as a collective.

“The most pleasing aspect has to be the way we dug in and kept believing in what we were doing. The way we are set-up and the way we train is an 80-minute thing and we showed that tonight. I am very proud of it.”